Clustering and statistical analyses of electricity consumption for university dormitories: A case study from China

Abstract

Electricity consumption in university dormitories deserves more attention owing to its constituting a large proportion of total electricity consumption in university buildings and the enormous electricity conservation potential. This research proposes a methodology comprising aggregated and segmented analyses to provide an in-depth understanding of electricity consumption in university dormitories from multiple perspectives. Aggregated analysis provides global perspectives for electricity consumption by resolving a novel and practical problem of setting free electricity consumption quotas for student dormitories. Segmented analysis provides partial perspectives for electricity consumption by discovering electricity consumption patterns according to the academic calendar. The actual daily electricity consumption data of 2434 undergraduate dormitories, 542 graduate-MS dormitories, and 583 graduate-PhD dormitories collected by smart meters from a Chinese university are analyzed to demonstrate the application of the proposed methodology. The main results of the research include the following: (1) different modes of setting free electricity consumption quotas have different effects on electricity conservation, and the monthly mode seems to be a more efficient alternative to stimulate energy-saving behaviors than the annual mode; (2) there is no significant linear correlation between outside temperature and electricity consumption against the background of limited electric power and nonusage of air conditioning systems; and (3) the representative electricity consumption patterns in the three types of dormitories are explored according to the academic calendar. The university administrators can devise good electricity use policies and implement electricity network planning and operations according to the patterns. The implications of the results and several recommendations for promoting energy conservation are provided simultaneously